An OverviewThe upsurge witnessed in militant assails across the country in the aftermath of Osama Bin Laden’s killing subsided as the number of such attacks was comparatively low in June. Most of these attacks were confined to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KPK) and the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA), during the reporting month. In an important development a dreaded Al-Qaeda leader and chief of Harkat-ul Jihad al Islamic (HUJI), Ilyas Kashmiri, was assassinated in a June 3 drone strike in South Waziristan agency.In retaliation to ongoing military offensives Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP)—a conglomerate of anti-state tribal militant outfits—intensified its attacks against Pakistani security forces as well as key government installations. Moreover, a new trend of large scale cross-border militant raids from Afghanistan into border areas of Pakistan was also witnessed. Security forces major military operation Brekhna (lightening) continued in Maamond sub-district of Orkazi agency. Pakistan army launched a military operation in Ali sherzai and Masozai area of Kurram agency as well. Similarly the military operation initiated in Frontier Region (FR) Kohat and Bazidkhel area also continued.

After a brief hiatus the trend of target killings of non-Baloch settlers, educationists and moderate Baloch nationalist political leaders re-emerged in Balochistan. This month’s high profile assassinations included target killings of a professor of Balochistan University Professor Ghulam Hussain Saba Dashtiari and a leader of National Party (NP) Nasim Jagian. Attacks on security forces and government installation also showed an upward trend in Balochistan. Karachi’s security landscape was marred with sectarian and ethno-political violence. With the exception of few attacks, the overall security situation in Islamabad, Punjba and other parts of the country was peaceful. This reporting month a total of 156 attacks were witnessed which claimed lives of 216 people and injured 459 others. Balochistan was the most volatile area of the country where 53 attacks were reported which left at least 38 people dead and 84 others injured. Meanwhile with 48 attacks FATA was the second most affected area of the country where 40 people were killed and 84 others were injured. Similarly 47 attacks in KPK claimed lived of 133 people and left 249 others injured. (See Chart 1)

Chart 1: Terrorist Attacks in Pakistan in June 2011

If the casualties in terrorist attacks, operational attacks by the security forces and their clashes with the militants, inter-tribal clashes and cross border attacks throughout the country are counted collectively, the overall number of casualties reaches 613 killed and 581 injured. In 16 incidents of ethno-political violence 25 people were killed and 56 others were wounded. Whereas 19 border attacks and clashes —including 14 drone strikes—killed 105 people and injured seven others. Moreover, 11 inter-tribal clashes reported in different areas of KPK, FATA and Balochistan claimed lives of 42 people and injured 25 others. (See Table 2)

Table 2: Nature of Attacks

Type of attack/clash

Number of attacks/clashes

Killed

Injured

Terrorist/insurgent attacks

156

216

459

Clashes b/w security forces and militants

26

172

20

Operational attacks by security forces

9

53

14

Drone attacks

14

105

7

Border clashes

5

0

0

Political and ethnic violence

16

25

56

Inter-tribal clashes

11

42

25

Total

237

613

581

Comparing last four months’ security landscape with June’s security features reveals a slight downward trend.The overall number of attacks and incidents of violence have declined from 255 to 237 due to less number of terrorist attacks and inter-tribal clashes reported in June compared to previous months. Similarly the number of casualties has also declined owing to less number of civilians and security personnel killed in June. Moreover, the number of injuries declined from 698 to 581 due to less number of militants and security personnel injured. (See Chart 3)

Chart 3: Comparison with Five Months’ Figure

The maximum number of casualties is of militants who have been killed in security forces’ operational attacks and clashes of the militants with the security forces as well as US-led predator drone strikes. The militants suffered 339 death casualties and 39 injuries. Meanwhile second highest number of casualties is of civilians with 187 life losses and 443 injuries, with a majority of them being killed in terrorist attacks and cross-firing of Pakistani security forces and militants, during their clashes. In terrorist attacks and their clashes with the militants the security forces lost 111 troops; among them 32 FC, 31 police, 13 army and 15 levies force personnel and injured 91 others—including them 53 FC, 42 police, 15 army and one levies force personnel. (See Table 4, 4a)

Table 4: Detail of Casualties June 2011

Table 4a: Distribution of Casualties June 2011

Type

Killed

Injured

FC

32

53

Militants

339

39

Civilian

187

443

Police

31

42

Paramilitary

0

0

Army

13

15

Lvs

15

1

Rng

0

0

Total

617

593

Among a variety of tactics used by the militants the most commonly used tactic was of firing or shooting with 51 reported incidents. Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) were the second most commonly used tactic with 38 reported incidents. Meanwhile remote controlled bomb blasts were the third most commonly used tactic with 17 reported incidents. Similarly 15 incidents of rocket attacks were also reported. (See Table 5)